Bit of a Surprise
by Jarris Shepard
Summary: Well, Connal has gotten into my head again. He's a good little muse. He shared this story with me, and I pass it on. It's ever so fluffy. Please review, but nasty comments or flames will be left to the Daleks for extermination.


**A Bit of A Surprise**

K

Dr Who and all related characters are copyright to BBC. I make no money from this or any other story I may write borrowing the characters of said show.

Well, Connal has gotten into my head again. He's a good little muse. I was thinking about how Clara would announce Connal's impending arrival to our favorite gray stick insect and then Connal reminded me that it wouldn't be that big a shock because they already knew to expect him, just not exactly when. He shared this story with me instead, and I pass it on.

-Doctor Who-

It had been a rather normal day in the TARDIS for The Doctor and his Impossible Girl and their little Timelord. They started off with breakfast, and had a small jaunt for five-year-old Connal's history lesson. They'd had to do a runner when things got a little dicey during the Spanish Inquisition and The Doctor had been caught using the sonic.

Connal was a superb runner, always staying with is mum or dad and holding tight to their hands. He knew, though, that his Idris would never let anything permanent happen to him, so he was rarely scared during their 'history lessons.' Once the three of them had gotten safely back aboard Idris, Clara had whisked her son off to the library for a snack and more sedate reading lessons. The Doctor had pulled them into the time vortex and busied himself getting his son's lessons in TARDIS maintenance ready for tomorrow.

What that mostly meant was he was tinkering around with various parts of the ship so that Connal would have to find and trace the minor problem that Idris had allowed The Doctor to create. She knew he needed to teach Connal, just in case, and was happy to help. The Doctor was head to shoulders up under the console putting the finishing touches on his practical lesson when his son's voice penetrated The Doctor's concentration.

"Dad?" Came the call in his sweet child's voice.

"What is it, lad? I'm almost done here." The Doctor called back, not wanting Connal to climb in with him and get a look at tomorrow's lesson.

"She wanted me to tell you something, is all." Connal was as solemn as he could be about this, but The Doctor didn't notice while still working with the wires under the console.

"Okay, lad, what is it your Mam wants me to know?" He called after a bit. Connal knew to be patient with talking to his dad when he was working on the TARDIS. He wasn't really ignoring you, just distracted and unable to add that newest task until he'd cleared a few others out of his mind.

"No, Dad, not Mummy. Her, she said she needed someone to know before she forgets, so she asked me to tell you that she wants her name to be Ellie." Connal said earnestly. "She said that Mummy was dreaming of Granny Ellie, and she though that Granny was beautiful, and wants her name to be Ellie too. That way she can be beautiful like Granny." Connal rushed through his explanation.

"If not Mam, then who told you this." The Doctor was still a bit distracted, but was putting the finishing touches on his project.

Connal was getting exasperated. "I don't know Dad, she just wanted me to tell you that is the name she wanted when she's born, okay? 'M goin' to my room to play now."

"All right, lad." The Doctor said absently, and finished up his work listening to the sound of Connal scampering from the Console room back toward the living quarters on the TARDIS.

Once finished with his set up, The Doctor remembered a theory he'd been working on and crossed to his black board to add the thought in and adjust it. He spent quite a while on this when he recalled what, exactly, Connal had said. Every other thought went out of The Doctor's gray head. He went in search of Clara and Connal then.

His Impossible Girl was usually easy to find, but not today. He checked everywhere that she spent time in while awake. She was in none of them. Connal, he finally found, was in the library with some toys and a book. "Connal, where's your mam?"

"She said she wanted a kip before tea time, Dad. We did a lot of running this morning." He was smiling at the memory, and The Doctor joined him, thinking that the boy was doomed to be an adventure junkie with himself and Clara for parents.

"Did she say when tea was to be this evening?"

"Yeah, Dad. She said that tea would be served whenever that father of mine pulled himself away from the under wires of the TARDIS and made it." Connal had gone back to his play, but looked up after a bit. "You know, I am a bit hungry, Dad."

"I'm sure there's a snack waiting in the kitchen for you, Connal." The Doctor crossed the room and bent to place his forehead to his son's. "I've got to talk to your mam for a bit. Think you can stay out of trouble?"

"I suppose so. Can I watch telly with my snack?" He rarely did sit in front of the TARDIS Television, too active like his father, but sometimes he enjoyed a quiet time to let his little mind rest and process all the things he'd learned. The Doctor knew this, and didn't mind in the least.

"All right, lad, I'll come and get you when Mam and I are done talking." He kissed the spot where he'd rested his forehead, and exited the room. The Doctor made his way to the bedroom he shared with his Clara, and found her sprawled and sleeping on their bed. His smile was soft and affectionate for the woman who'd given him another chance at happiness.

He crossed to the bed and slipped onto it beside her. His hand found it's way onto her belly, and he sucked in a breath at the touch of a mind not fully formed. He was fairly vibrating with his excitement. "Hello there, little Ellie." He laughed in joy when the presence reached out to him. It wasn't clear in the least, but he knew a way to make it better.

Clara came awake slowly, she could hear her Doctor laughing and there was a pressure against her belly. She opened her eyes to the sight of The Doctor's gray head against her. His face was pressed into her belly. He was giggling like a madman. "What are you up to?" She didn't know what to make of him sometimes. "And how did I get to be a part of this game?"

"Clara, my Clara! We've done it again." His eyes were full of excitement. "I didn't understand what Connal was telling me, at first. She contacted Connal."

"What? Doctor, I'm not awake enough yet to make sense of this without the full story." Clara was thoroughly confused. "Who contacted Connal and what are you doing with your face in my tummy?"

"Ellie did the contacting, and now I'm having my first father to daughter conversation with her. Remember, I used to do this with Connal when he lived here beneath your heart." He looked up to her stunned face.

"What?" Clara asked a little nervously.

"I told you, we've done it again, Clara. It'll be perfect now, a son and a daughter between us, and they'll have one another when we've gone."

"Hang on, tha's not very fair. I'm supposed to be the first to know about things like this." Clara was still a bit in shock.

"Well-hang on, Ellie wants something." He rested his forehead to her abdomen once more. "Oh, okay, love. She apologizes, Clara, but it was rather urgent. At this stage remembering is very hard to do, and she wanted us to know that she'd like her name to be Ellie. She wants to be named for her Gran." Clara's hands were pushing his head from her now, and covering the spot he'd just been.

"Another baby, that explains some things then." The shock was turning to elation. "Doctor, a girl?"

"Yes, My Clara. A girl of our own." He leaned up and kissed her softly then. "I think they'll make a perfectly matched set." The Doctor whispered into her lips.

"Oh, I do agree, my Doctor." She was grinning now. "I suppose we should make an appointment with Dr. Smith at UNIT." Clara was getting practical on him now.

"No, I think we should celebrate this discovery. Perhaps explain what this means to our son." He glanced down the bed toward the open door. There was a pair of dark brown eyes peeking at them over the end of the bed.

"Hello there, my little Timelord, climb on in." Clara opened her arms to their son as did The Doctor.

"What are you and Dad doing, Mummy?" Connal slithered up and rested against both of them.

"Your dad was telling me about your sister wanting her name to be Ellie." She rubbed her nose to his. "I hear she told you first."

Connal nodded. "She did because she didn't want to forget. She said you were dreaming of Granny Ellie and she wanted to be beautiful too."

"Well, I think that Ellie is a perfectly beautiful name for her then. What do you think?"

"I guess so, but can we name her for Auntie Missy too?" Connal asked. "Auntie is a little scary sometimes, but I think she'd like that."

"It's a thought. Very practical for keeping the peace, too." The Doctor stated.

"Smart boy, our Connal is. How about Eleanor Missy? Is that a good name you think?" She was asking both of them though she had her eyes on the matching set watching her.

"I think she'll like that, and maybe not be so scary anymore." He offered.

Clara laughed softly. "I wouldn't count on that. Missy thrives on being very scary, but I think she'd enjoy the honor. What about it, Dad?" Clara had a free hand tangled in The Doctor's curls.

"It's a lovely name." He turned to Connal. "Do you understand what it means. What we're talking about here, son?"

"I'm five, Dad. I know what a sister is." Connal was giving him Clara's annoyed eyes. It thrilled The Doctor immensely that the boy could mimic his mother's expressions perfectly. He sort of hoped that their daughter wouldn't pick that up though. He'd never be able to say no to her, much like her older brother. "She doesn't like the name Missy, either. So I guess that we shouldn't name her that."

"What name would you prefer, Little Ellie?" Clara caressed her tummy.

Connal answered again. "Donna. She likes Donna. 'Cause Donna should get to travel the stars with Daddy again." The Doctor snatched him up into a hard hug at that.

"I like that. Eleanor Donna. It honors two amazing women." The Doctor looked to Clara, who nodded. He knew she wasn't all that excited to be naming one of her children after Missy. Their relationship was still rocky at best.

"It's the perfect name for our little lady time traveler." Clara sat herself up and stroked her son's curly hair away from his eyes. "How about we head to the kitchen and make something to eat?" Connal nodded and wriggled free to drop of the side of the big fluffy bed his mum and dad shared. He turned back to them when he reached the door. They were kissing and he made a face.

"Ew, you always do that." Connal called.

"Then you should be used to it by now, shouldn't you, lad." The Doctor called over his shoulder before kissing Clara once more.

"All right, let's stop torturing our son." Clara pulled back. She nuzzled his head with her own. "We can celebrate more later, Doctor."

"That's a promise, my Clara." He helped her out of the bed and they followed Connal out of the room.

Several months later, and little Ellie Donna Oswald made her entrance into the TARDIS. The Doctor had only just made the landing at UNIT when Martha entered and had whisked Clara off to deliver their daughter, with The Doctor close behind. Kate had come aboard and taken over care of Connal, which he was excited about. She always found something interesting to keep him occupied. He barely noticed the hours passing. Finally, though, his dad came to find him. The Doctor looked ragged, but he was as energetic as ever in his glee to have a tiny replica of his Clara.

"Look Dad, Miss Kate and I've been working on a vortex manipulator. I've almost got it working too!" Connal was fidgeting in his excitement.

"That's pretty amazing, son." He gave Kate a reprimanding look and pocketed the manipulator. The stately blond rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Want to come meet your little sister?"

"I guess so." He didn't sound all that enthusiastic.

The Doctor knelt down to Connal's level. "What's the matter, Lad?"

"Well, what if she doesn't like me now she's on the outside? What if she cries when she sees me? What if I'm not a good enough big brother, Dad?"

"Oh, Connal, that's not possible. Come on, let's go see her. She can tell you this herself." The Doctor lifted the little boy into his arms and carried him down to the TARDIS medical bay. They entered to Clara sitting up in one of the beds with a bundle held to her breast. She looked more exhausted than The Doctor, but there was the softest of secret smiles on her face as she gazed down at the infant sleeping in her arms.

"Hi there, My Little Timelord. Come meet Ellie." Clara held her hand out to them and The Doctor brought them closer so that Connal could have a look at the wrinkly, pink newborn. He made a face, not unlike the one he had when he caught his mum and dad kissing.

"Is she supposed to be splotchy, Mum?" Clara laughed at that, loving her son's forthright questions.

"Yes, for a little bit she's supposed to look like a squashy potato. You did too, you know." She leaned over to kiss her son.

"No, I don't think I did, Mummy." He said after some thought. "But if you're sure she'll stop being splotchy, I guess she'll do." He was watching the baby curiously.

"Come down here, my love, and you can hold her." The Doctor helped Connal to settle on his mother's lap and watched as his son held his sister for the first time.

"Hello, Ellie." Connal whispered to the sleeping girl. "You're pretty tiny. Hurry up and grow so I can show you all the good hiding places on the TARDIS." As he was talking Ellie's eyes opened up and she blinked at him. Her eyes weren't exactly focused, but she gave a good impression of studying her brother. Connal brought his forehead down to Ellie's then and she let out a newborn sound of content.

"I told you she'd like you, son." The Doctor stated listening to his daughter try her best to sing for her brother. "She's trying to sing, just hasn't quite gotten it down yet."

"I know that, Dad. I might not speak baby like you, but I think I can speak Ellie." He was smiling for them. "I like her even if she is splotchy, Mum. You know why?"

"No, my heart, why?" Clara stroked his curls.

"Cause she looks so much like you, 'cept for her eyes. Her eyes are going to be like Dad's. Ellie showed me she wants blue like Dad, just like I wanted brown like you." He stated off-handed as he studied his little sister. Clara couldn't contain her elation, though and pulled both her children against her for a good long snuggle.

"I'm so glad that you did, Connal. She rested her head to her little boy's and watched as The Doctor lifted their girl away gently so she could hug her son tight to her. Clara watched The Doctor cradle their daughter gently, and loved how he can not take his eyes off of her. He's whispering softly to the baby in a language that the TARDIS is not translating, so she's fairly certain it's Gallifreyan. Connal snuggles a bit closer to her with a yawn, and she shifts him so that he's lying beside her and she's wrapped around him.

Clara drifts there with her son and daughter and her Doctor and thinks that life couldn't be better.


End file.
